Chapter 09: The Six Year Sakura, Part 2
This chapter is Part 2 of the story of The Six Year Sakura (六年桜, Rokunensakura), continuing from the previous chapter. The story of the "Six Year Sakura" is revealed, and a confrontation between two friends involved suddenly brings the case into confusion. Synopsis While walking along one of many hallways of Seikyou Academy, Yuuko tells Niiya the story of the "Six Year Sakura". According to the story, there were once two students who were very close to each other. One day, they received news of their inevitable separation from each other, and it saddened the two. They decided to take their own lives on the day of their graduation ceremony. Following that incident, a cherry (Japanese: sakura) tree was planted where the incident happened. They say that every six years, there are a pair of close friends who follow the same fate as the original pair, taking their lives under the cherry tree... and some say that a spirit invites them to succumb to such a fate. This time, it is Kiyomi Michidera and Nao Yasunaga who are dragged into the Six Year Sakura story. Kirie soon joins them and adds another fact they haven't hear about from the two: Kiyomi is planned to move away during the summer holiday. This probably explains Kiyomi's unusual actions recently. Soon, Yuuko decides to walk away, complaining as well about the summer vacation that is to come in a few weeks. Of course, as a ghost stuck in Seikyou Academy, she cannot follow Yuuko, and she wishes for everything to end if her friendship with Teiichi would end as well. Their conversation would soon be interrupted when they head downstairs. Yuuko, Kirie and Teiichi see Kiyomi and Nao enjoying themselves under the mysterious cherry tree outside. Although a bit sad thinking about summer vacation, she is quite confident that Teiichi would visit her at school, and she urges him to consider keeping her company. Meanwhile, Kirie just watches as she observes the closeness between the two. Minutes later, after picking up some ice cream to cool off, Kirie sees Yuuko on Teiichi's shoulders while reaching one of the branches of the Six Year Sakura tree. Yuuko plans to take up the role of the "Ghost of the Six Year Sakura"; beforehand, Teiichi has told Kiyomi and Nao about it, and she expects the two arrive at any time. Soon, as planned, the two friends go to the Six Year Sakura tree; Kirie and Teiichi stand behind the tree to conceal their presence. Meanwhile, Yuuko stands and watches, wanting to know which of the two would see her presence; to her surprise, Nao was the one who saw Yuuko, although Nao did not made her reaction noticeable to Kiyomi. Nao then opens the topic about Kiyomi's plan to move away during the summer break. Kiyomi's indifferent reaction was a shock to both Yuuko and Nao, but it was nothing compared to the slap to the face that Kiyomi gave to Nao when the latter insisted that they are still friends. Kiyomi tells Nao that they no longer need to play along with what others assume between them. Then, Kiyomi decides to explain the story of the "Six Year Sakura"; according to the story, involved two girls who loved each other... and later killed themselves to escape their harsh lives. Kiyomi knows that they qualify for the fulfillment of the story, and the only thing needed is to die at the graduation ceremony. Nao soon realizes that she needs to apologize for her lapse of judgment, but Kiyomi says sorry instead, smiling before taking Nao elsewhere. Just in time, Teiichi slips and falls over Kirie. Nao manages to get a glimpse of the two, and runs off with Kiyomi. Nao and Kiyomi are nowhere to be found, and at that moment, Kirie finally manages to voice out her reactions upon seeing two girls fall in love with each other. Yuuko, however, doesn't seem to mind having a pair of lesbians inside the campus, as she has more important things to think about... especially the fact that Kiyomi, the person who was supposed to believe the Ghost of the Six Year Sakura, was not able to see her. Moreover, the girl who was able to see Yuuko is Nao. The "Six Year Sakura" case hits a snag as the discovery of the one who is truly "possessed" turns out to be one big misunderstanding. Characters By order of appearance *Yuuko Kanoe *Teiichi Niiya *Kirie Kanoe *Kiyomi Michidera *Nao Yasunaga Locations Trivia *Were Kirie and Teiichi discovered by Kiyomi during her conversation with Nao? Quotes *"Because you won't be coming to school, right? I don't want a summer holiday like that." — Yuuko's response to the summer break and not seeing Teiichi at that time *"Yuuko-san, you're kind of heavy... How many kilos are you!?" "500 grams." "EH?" — Teiichi and Yuuko's conversation as she climbs up the Six Year Sakura *"...dying just because you don't want to be separated from your friend is a bit extreme." — Yuuko's statement on friends, separation and commiting suicide Category:Manga Chapters